


The Birth of Charlie Winchester

by Charlie_E_Winchester



Series: Stories From The Bunker [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, M/M, Time For A Baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-19 05:15:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9420239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charlie_E_Winchester/pseuds/Charlie_E_Winchester





	

Dean's alarm rang somewhere in the distance, and he waved his arm clumsily over the side of the bed, trying to silence it. Finally succeeding in shutting the damn thing off, he rolled over to nuzzle up to his husband, only to find Cas' side of the bed empty. Dean groaned and buried his head in his pillow.  His husband was not one to enjoy the finer side of retirement.

When Dean finally came into the kitchen, still only half-awake, he saw his cup of coffee waiting on the table for him. At least there were certain perks to living with an angel. As he plopped himself down at the table, his brother stared at him from across the table.

Sam carefully folded the newspaper he'd been reading. "You know Dean, I think he's going stir crazy."

Dean waved his hand in his brother's direction, already drinking deeply from his coffee. "Coffee first, Sam. Husband later."

Sam chuckled to himself as he returned to the paper. "You certainly like using that word now, don't you?"

Dean shrugged and made a non-committal noise. But his brother had a point. A lot had happened in the last year; the three of them had made a decision to retire from active hunting and take on the roles that Garth, and Bobby before him had played, using all the resources left to them by the Men of Letters. Dean and Cas had been married. Charlie had snuck out - leave it to Charlie to sneak out of heaven - and insisted on being Cas' woman of honour. Sam had been a little _too_ proud to be the best man.

Finishing his coffee, Dean rose from the table to pour himself a second cup. "Whatever, that husband makes a mean cup of coffee. I will happily get used to being a kept man."

Sam chuckled. He put the paper down again. "There's something I've been wanting to talk to you two about, actually."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

Cas came into the room suddenly, drowning in Dean's thick housecoat. "Do I need to be present for this conversation too, Sam?"

Sam looked over his shoulder at Cas and smiled. "Yeah, buddy. Come sit down; this involves all of us."

Dean watched his brother carefully as he poured his next coffee. Cas had sat down at the table and was sitting stiffly, watching Sam think. Dean chuckled to himself at the site. _Retirement,_ he thought.

Sam shuffled himself uncomfortably, not meeting Dean's eyes. "I, um, I think I want to move out."

Cas nodded thoughtfully, and Dean moved slowly to sit down. "Sam, are you sure about that? You'd be moving away from your _library._ I know how much those books mean to you, man."

Sam threw his brother a look before shrugging his shoulders. "I've been thinking about it for a while. I can take some of the duplicate books with me, and I'll come by and do research whenever I need to. I just - " he looked around and gestured at the walls, "- I need some fresh air."

Dean chuckled to himself as he drank more of Cas' coffee. "Yeah alright there Sam. You gonna grow an herb garden too?"

"Stuff it Dean."

Cas looked happily at Sam. "I think it's an excellent idea. Would you like help finding a suitable place for your new home? One of the nice ladies at the grocery store has informed me she's a realtor on multiple occasions."

Dean raised an eyebrow as he looked sidelong at his husband. "And why, exactly, Cas, is a strange woman you only ever see at the checkout line telling you she's a realtor?"

Cas shrugged. "I told her we were recently married and she insists on telling me about something called 'starter' homes every time I see her."

Dean rolled his eyes and put his hands over his face. "Oh god, they're probably covered in purple shag carpets."

Cas looked confused while Sam chuckled to himself. Dean rubbed his husband's back gently. "Don't worry about it dear, I'll explain another time." He looked at his brother carefully. "Sammy, if this is what you want to do, you do it. This place has never quite been your home the way  it has been for us."

Sam nodded gratefully, smiling at his brother.

"But first, before anyone starts getting ahead of themselves and packing boxes or any of that bullshit," Dean clapped his hands excitedly, "breakfast!"

With a flourish that could only be described as stereotypically in keeping with purple shag carpets, Dean departed for the kitchen. His brother's laughter echoed down the hallway after him.

*

As it turned out, Sam had been looking at places for a while. Over breakfast, he spoke excitedly to Dean and Cas about the houses he'd been looking at. Dean cut in occasionally, asking about the distance from the bunker, the general security of the area, and what kind of ownership documents they were going to have to forge to be able to buy the property legally, or as close to legally as a Winchester is able.

After breakfast, Sam went off to happily begin indexing what reference books were duplicates, and which ones the bunker could easily spare. Cas and Dean took their time cleaning up in the kitchen. With his brother away, Dean finally allowed himself to be upset.

"It's just going to be quiet around here Cas, that's all."

Cas looked sideways at his husband. "Sam is not a loud person Dean. I think you're just not looking forward to living apart from your brother."

Dean shrugged. "We've been apart before," he pouted.

"Never voluntarily Dean. Never when you both knew the other was alive. Never when you were both fully human."

"Fine," Dean huffed, throwing a dishtowel over his shoulder and furiously scrubbing at the frying pan from breakfast. "Just don't know why he has to move out _now._ Things were just starting to calm down."

Cas put his hands over his husbands in the soapy water. "Dean, stop. You're going to put a hole in that pan." He looked softly into Dean's eyes. "Have you ever considered that Sam wants to move out precisely because things have calmed down?"

"Just because things have calmed down doesn't mean he's going to be safe."

Cas chuckled. "Safe is not the word I would choose to describe the Winchester lifestyle." He leaned over and pecked Dean's lips. "Have you put any thoughts into our own plans?"

With another peck from his husband, Dean's mood lifted instantly.

*

Dean drank his beer quietly. He was sitting in the library, reading up on protective wards for Sam's new house. Jotting a few notes down in the journal Sam had given him for his birthday, he was too engrossed in work to hear the knock at the bunker door. It wasn't until the banging on the door intensified that he put his beer down and looked around.

"Sam?" he called out. If the banging had jarred him from his concentration, he could only imagine what it would have done to his brother. But, no matter how much he called out, he didn't hear Sam.

The banging continued, and Dean rose carefully. His left hand gently fingered the knife at his belt as he walked the stair to the door. Throwing it open, Dean was greeted not by a creature of terror, but a beautiful red-haired woman.

"Dean," she breathed out his name joyfully. "I thought you'd never open the door." Moving smoothly over the threshold, she took his face in her hands and kissed him passionately. Dean's bewilderment intensified; there was only one person who kissed him quite like that _._

"Cas?"

The woman smiled, and twirled. "Do you like it?" She was dressed in a long black dress with a plunging neckline. Her hair hung past her shoulders, softly curled. Her green eyes fluttered at Dean. "I thought you might."

"Cas, who is this woman?"

"Her name is Jennifer." She frowned. "Why do you seem angry with me? I thought this was what you wanted."  

"Let me talk to her Cas." he growled.

Rolling her eyes, she sighed deeply. Dean watched carefully as Cas' presence receded into the depths of the woman's consciousness. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment. When she opened them again, the green shone even brighter. She eyed him up and down.

"Well damn." She exhaled slowly. "Cas showed me some old photos of you, but they just don't do you justice Dean Winchester."

Dean's gestured for the woman to follow him down the stairs. He was very aware of the woman's eyes on his backside as he walked in front of her. As they reached the library he whirled on her. "Care to tell me exactly what you agreed to, here?"

She sighed, kicked off her heels, and sat down on the long wooden table behind her. "I'm here for you and Castiel. I'm your surrogate."

Dean looked at her incredulously. "You're her - what - you're - _what_?"

She chuckled. "My name is Jennifer." She held out her hand for Dean to shake. "Pleased to meet you Dean Winchester. I was asked by your loving husband if I would be willing to help you two have a baby."

"And you said _yes?_ "

Jennifer laughed. "Why is that such a surprise to you?" She gestured to the chairs at the table. "Come on, Dean, sit down, and I'll tell you everything."

Hesitantly, Dean sat down and listened. Jennifer told him about her faith - how she prayed regularly and sought solace in the church whenever her life made her question the faith - and how Castiel had come to her, asking for her help. She shared how Castiel had explained his and Dean's plight - their desire to have a child of their own - and the history of their relationship.

"Castiel told me what you've done for the world, Dean. He showed me how much love you have in your heart." She looked down at him, joy sparkling in her eyes. "I want to help give you some happiness, Dean Winchester."

Dean reached for the beer he'd been drinking earlier and took a deep swig. "So, okay. My husband comes to you. Asks you to help us have a baby. You say yes. And how did you think that was going to work?"

Jennifer laughed. "I may be religious, Dean, but that doesn't mean I'm chaste." Her eyes raked over him again, and Dean fidgeted uncomfortably in his chair. "I did ask Castiel if I couldn't possibly be awake for it - you know, just innocently watching like a fly on the wall - but he seemed a little insistent that he was asking for a vessel, not another consciousness in your bedroom." She shrugged. "Pity."

Dean ran his fingers through his hair and slouched back in the chair. "Alright, let me talk to that husband of mine."

Jennifer gave him a wicked grin. Her eyes fluttered closed, and when they opened again there was no mistaking the hint of Cas behind them.  It was obviously his husband; she was now pouting.

"I thought this was what you wanted."

Dean shook his head and took another deep drink. He felt the last of the liquid fall from the bottle and wished he had another. Immediately. "Cas," he paused again, unsure of where to begin. "When we talked about kids - I just, I never really put my mind to the logistics of it." He looked at her face again. She really was beautiful. "Why don't we adopt?"

She laughed. It was a hearty laugh, with a touch of his husband in every chuckle. "And what kind of forged paperwork would that require? How would we do home visits? Who would accept the explanation that we live underground because every now and again some new form of primordial evil is trying to kill us?"

Dean's eyes went dark. The adoption paperwork alone would leave a trail a mile long; anyone who ever wanted to hurt the Winchesters would only have to reach out and pluck up their child. Hunters with children were always exposed.

She took Dean's face in her hands and caressed his cheeks. "No, Dean. A child that is ours could be protected by us. And there would never be anyone who knew they existed."

Dean took the hand on his face in his own palm and kissed it. Softly, gently. His husband responded with a smile.

"A baby, Cas? Are we ready for this?"

She stood, walking to his bedroom with Dean in tow. She flashed him a wicked grin over her shoulder. "You've been asking what the next great adventure is."

  And in Dean's room, two lover's met. With tenderness and intensity.  Dean allowed Cas to control the pace; adjusting to his vessel and the new types of pleasure she enjoyed. He grinned wickedly when Cas gasped out in pleasure. _That thing_ worked on everyone.

The moment of ecstasy came and passed; Dean and Cas lay breathless next to each other in their room. Dean softly ran a finger through her hair; his husband really did know what he liked.

"So," he waved his hand in the air dramatically, "how does this all work now? Do you stay in her until she's pregnant? Until the baby comes?"

She sighed and curled up against Dean's chest. Her breath tickled against his bare skin. "I'm a celestial being, Dean.  The pregnancy will happen. I'm already pushing the molecules in the right direction."

Dean chuckled and kissed her forehead. "My little general."

They explored each other's bodies again and again that night. Cas insisted it was for the pregnancy. Dean knew his husband better than that; multiple orgasms were a difficult thing to forgo when given the opportunity.

*

Dean was once again drinking his morning coffee when Sam returned to the bunker. He raised an eyebrow at his brother. An unspoken question.

"I was told to get out of the house," Sam raised his arms in defeat. "I did not want to ask Cas why or for how long, so I went and I did the rounds at a couple safe houses."

Dean grunted. An acceptable excuse. "Everyone okay?"

Sam nodded, pulling one of his morning smoothies from the fridge. He sat down next to his brother and stretched. "Nothing interesting to report on. Donna's crew wants to know when you're coming to visit; she has some new girls she wants you to teach hand to hand."

She walked into the kitchen then. Her hair dishevelled and Dean's large housecoat wrapped around her. One look up and Dean knew Jennifer had come back. She winked at him as she made herself tea.

Sam's mouth fell agape. He glanced from the strange woman in his home to his brother. His anger was palatable.

Dean raised a hand to him, gesturing for him to stay seated. "Before you go all ... _you_ on me, this is Jennifer. She was _Cas'_ vessel yesterday." He emphasized his husband's name for Sam's purpose. Dean glanced over at her and gestured for her to join them at the table. "Temporarily," he added, sternly enough so she knew the comment was directed at her.

"Are you and Cas having to -"   Sam glanced between the two. " - spice things up, already? You only just got married!"

Dean glowered at his brother. Jennifer chuckled. "Oh I like him."

Sam waved his hands dramatically. "So if you're back, here, in your own body, then - where's Cas?"  

"Went back to where he left his vessel. He said he'll be back soon, and to keep an eye on you boys until then." Jennifer took a sip of her tea, her eyes dancing over the rim of the cup and sparkling at Sam.

Sam continued to stare at her. "And you're, you're okay -"

Dean glowered at his brother again. "Is that really the kind of question you should be asking a lady, Sam?" he snapped.

"Is this the kind of thing you should be doing at all, Dean?" his brother shot back.

Jennifer clucked, rising to get more coffee. "You two need to simmer. It won't be good for the baby if you've got all this bad energy around here."

Sam froze, his cup halfway to his lips. His eyes met his brothers, and many unspoken words passed between them.

"So it worked then?" Dean asked, never taking his eyes off Sam.

Shaking a hand through her hair, Jennifer smiled to herself. "According to Cas. He says it'll be weeks before I'll even notice it myself."

Dean grinned to himself. Sam's mouth remained agape.

*

Cas bore the brunt of explaining to Sam exactly how the pregnancy worked and what would happen during it. Dean insisted it had been Cas' idea, and he should therefore "explain the fucking far-fetched plan to his crazy brother in law."

Jennifer returned home. Dean and Cas visited her regularly, taking her to the doctors and dropping off her favourite pregnancy cravings. They were careful not to overly invade her space; she would often come home and find neither man in the house, but her prenatal vitamins restocked and peppermint ice cream in the freezer. She began leaving sonogram pictures on the counter. They disappeared regularly.

Sam offered his new home to her; he insisted the protection of a hunter was important as she went through the later stages of pregnancy. But Jennifer was firm; her life would not be hindered by the gift she was giving God's Warriors - as she liked to call them - and she would not be treated as a thing to be coddled.

On the day before she went into labour, Cas returned to take her to the bunker. She did not ask how he knew; he was an angel, and she had her faith. She went to sleep in her own mind before the labour started.

When she awoke, she felt the whisper of an angel on her forehead. Her body bore no scars, no stretch marks. It was as if she had never carried the child at all. She rose almost immediately from her bed in the bunker. Her body felt almost weightless without the baby.

Jennifer peeked around the doorway into the library. She had barely heard their soft voices as she wandered through the bunker in search of the men who had cared for her these past few months. But there they were, two burly men, their faces sparkling as they beheld a small child. She rocked back and forth in Dean's arms, one hand clutched tightly around Cas' finger.

Cas looked up and smiled at Jennifer, gesturing her over. "Come meet Charlie," he whispered.

The baby's eyes were bright - such a beautiful green that she could only have got from Dean. And her tuft of hair was as fiery orange as Jennifer's had been. The eyes glanced to her, and Jennifer felt the soft whisper of an angel again.

She raised her eyes to the boys, and Dean simply put his finger to his lips.


End file.
